About Us

How it all began

Gambero Rosso opened over 15 years ago when Antonio Pallucci, a chef from Cassino in southern Italy, decided Falkirk needed a proper Italian restaurant.

Antonio grew up watching his mother cook, and her recipes shaped everything he brought to this kitchen.

He’d already spent more than 20 years working in restaurants across Scotland by then, and when he and his wife Susan, found this old stone building on the canal, they knew it was the right place.

Together, they turned it into one of Central Scotland’s best-known Italian restaurants.

The menu drew from every corner of Italy, from the southern coast up through Tuscany and into the Alps.

Fresh pasta, daily seafood, sizzling steaks, and of course, their prized pizzas.

It didn’t take long for word to spread.

Within a few years, regulars were travelling from Edinburgh and Glasgow to dine with us. In 2016, the Scottish Hospitality Awards named us Central Restaurant of the Year and Overall Restaurant of the Year.

The history behind the name

Gambero rosso means ‘red prawn’ in Italian.

The gambero rosso di Mazara, a deep-water prawn from the coast of Sicily, is one of the most sought-after ingredients in Italian seafood cooking. It shaped our commitment to sourcing only the finest, freshest ingredients for our recipes.

But the name goes further than the ingredients.

Gambero Rosso is also Italy’s most respected food and wine guide. Italy’s answer to the Michelin guide.

It’s a name that sets a standard, and that standard runs through everything we do here.

The building

The building on Burnbank Road has been through more than most.

It first sat on the canal as a boat house, then changed hands over the years as a fruit market, a mechanic’s garage, and then a pub.

When Antonio and Susan took it on, the bones were already there for something truly special.

Thick stone walls, heavy ceiling beams, and beautifully arched windows looking straight out over the Forth and Clyde Canal.

It had the warmth and soul of a casale, a traditional Italian farmhouse, from the very beginning.

Wooden floors, leather booths, and a terrace on the waterfront for when the sun comes out.

A space that feels lived in, looked after, and very hard to leave.

A new chapter

In late 2025, after 15 years of running Gambero Rosso, Antonio decided to retire.

We’re John and Carol.

We live locally, and we’d been eating at Gambero Rosso for 14 years before we took over.

We didn’t come to this as restaurateurs looking for a business opportunity. We came as two people who loved this place from the beginning and didn’t want to see it change.

Antonio and Susan spent months working alongside us before handing over the keys, making sure we knew every little detail of what has made this place what it is today.

During the changeover, the whole team stayed on.

The food hasn’t changed, the quality remains as high as ever, and the welcome is as warm as it has always been.

We owe a great deal to what Antonio and Susan built here, and we’re committed to keeping Gambero Rosso at the heart of this community for decades to come.

If you haven’t been in for a while or haven’t ever visited before, we would love for you to come and say hello.

Book your table

Step into a slice of Italy, right in the middle of Falkirk, at Gambero Rosso.

We welcome all guests at our restaurant. Simply call us today on 01324 868442 or book your table online to reserve your spot.

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